Race Analysis

While Nebraska is reliably Republican at the federal level, its
gubernatorial politics are more heterodox. In 2002, Mike Johanns became the
first Republican to win a second term since 1954: Republicans won only three of
12 elections from 1958 through 1998. The typical Democratic formula was to have
a Republican incumbent raise taxes, allowing a conservative Democrat to sneak
through. This year, there are no signs of that happening, and former Ameritrade
COO (and unsuccessful 2006 Senate nominee) Pete Ricketts seems likely to defeat
university administrator Chuck Hassebrook.